


We Can all Have a Good Flirt Later

by jeeno2



Series: Short Stories From the Vortex [11]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 21:47:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5842138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeeno2/pseuds/jeeno2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose is back.  The Doctor wants to get things right this time and he needs Donna's help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Can all Have a Good Flirt Later

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a "ten minute fic" for dirty-brian/kevinkillgrave. The prompt was: "Ten x Rose, flirting."

“What exactly are you asking me, Spaceman?”

Without waiting for a reply, Donna Noble – the woman who, up until thirty seconds ago, the Doctor considered his best friend in all of time and space – starts to laugh.  

“Err… well…” the Doctor says, rubbing the back of his neck.  “I wanted to know if you could give me some pointers on… oh, bloody hell.”

He buries his face in his hands in humiliation.  Which only makes Donna laugh harder.

“You want flirting tips,” Donna manages, once her laughter subsides.  “From me.  Oh, you  _muppet_.”

Never in any of his lifetimes did the Doctor think he’d be ever reduced to this kind of desperation.  Then again, up until a few years ago he’d never met anyone like Rose Tyler.  When he lost her he’d been working up the courage to tell her how he really felt.  But she was torn away from him before he had a chance, and then he’d botched everything during their final goodbye.

And now, against all odds, she’s back.  Here, with him, on the TARDIS.  His fierce, brave, beautiful Rose.  He has a second chance he never thought he’d get and he refuses to make the same mistakes again.

He wants to make her feel wanted, this time.  He wants to make her feel everything.

“Help me, Donna,” the Doctor pleads.  He drops his hands from his face and looks imploringly at her.  “I’m rubbish at this.  You know I am.  I just…. _care_  about her, so much.  And I don’t know what to do.”  

Whatever Donna sees in his eyes must touch her somehow, because her expression softens right away, all laughter forgotten.

“Oh, Doctor.  I mean…. I just dunno if I can,” she says, sounding apologetic.  “I’m rather rubbish at this sort of thing myself.  You know my dating history better than just about anyone.”

He smiles sadly at her and takes her hand in his.  “Oh, Donna.”

“Um.  Hello?”

The Doctor freezes in his chair at the sudden interruption.  Slowly, he turns his head – and sees Rose standing in the doorway of the kitchen, her hands clasped together in front of her, a shy smile on her face.

“Err.  Hello!”  He swallows.   _Oh, no. How much did she hear?_

“Ahem,” Donna says loudly.  “I believe this is my cue to exit.”   She walks quickly out of the kitchen, touching Rose meaningfully on the shoulder on her way out.

A long, awkward pause settles between them, the only sound in the room the subtle, constant whirring of the TARDIS’ engine.

“You don’t need advice,” Rose blurts out after a beat.  

The Doctor blinks.  “What?”

Color starts to rise on Rose’s cheeks and she averts her eyes.  She bites her bottom lip, making it difficult for the Doctor to think about anything but _his_  teeth biting her bottom lip, and impossible for him to look anywhere but right at her beautiful mouth.  

“I said you don’t need advice,” she says again.  A little more confidently this time.  She gives a small laugh.  “Because, blimey, Doctor, if you get any better at flirting with me, I swear – I’m not gonna be able to keep myself from pushing you up against a wall one day and just snogging you senseless.”

She looks at him, then, her eyes clear and bright and bold.  She raises one eyebrow in challenge.  

The Doctor’s hearts feel like they’re about to beat right out of his chest as he beams at her, everything suddenly all right with the universe.    


End file.
